Friday, 20 November 2020 (YJC)_ Inquiries into the president and his businesses, one criminal and one civil, are now looking at tax deductions taken on consulting fees.
As part of its investigations into Donald Trump’s tax affairs, the office of New York’s attorney general has issued a subpoena to the Trump Organisation, seeking records for tax deductions taken on consulting fees to the president’s daughter Ivanka Trump.
Almost $750,000 were paid in fees to Ms Trump’s company while she was also a Trump Organisation executive, according to US media reports.
Currently, two separate investigations are underway, one criminal and one civil, looking into Mr Trump’s personal tax records and business affairs.
However, there is no indication that Ms Ivanka or the president’s other children are targets of the investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who are leading the two investigations.
Ms Ivanka criticised the probe, saying it was harassment and that the inquiry was politically motivated by New York Democrats.
The inquiry by Vance’s office started more than two years ago, initially to look into the Trump Organisation’s role in making payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels – who has claimed she had an affair with Mr Trump in 2016.
James’s office, meanwhile, started its investigation after Mr Trump’s former lawyer Michael D Cohen alleged he inflated his assets in financial statements to secure bank loans, but lowered their value when seeking tax benefits.
These two legal inquiries would require Mr Trump to fend off potential charges of fraud while leading the life of an ordinary civilian after the presidency.
According to reports, Mr Trump reduced his taxable income by deducting $26m in fees to unspecified consultants, some of them paid to Ms Ivanka, between 2010 and 2018.
Source: Independent
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